This newsletter is in tribute to our department’s first Director, Susan Adler, who passed away in early March. Susan was a mentor, colleague, and great friend to many. 

 

She gave Yale Conferences & Events the foundation that we stand on today. She was also a pioneer in our industry, helping to create our first-ever professional international collegiate events organization. 

 

Susan loved Yale and her job of creating memorable experiences for everyone who visited campus. We intend to keep the history and the memories of our department alive in Susan’s honor… I’m proud to have known her and Yale was lucky to have had her. 

 

We have put together a video tribute in memory of Susan, with clips of her colleagues and friends honoring her memory.

 

Sincerely,

Executive Director

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Yale’s ever-evolving campus 

Yale is one of the oldest universities in the United States and arguably has one of the most beautiful city campuses. Hosting events in this historical location is a great honor for all of us at Yale Conferences & Events! 

On campus you will find buildings dating back to the 1700’s, as well as newly constructed spaces, some of which were completed during the pandemic. Here is a sampling of some of the most recent construction projects (2019-2021). For a more in-depth look, check out this very insightful YaleNews article (with video): “Old Yale new spaces: A campus construction update”. 

Sterling Memorial Library Nave	In progress: Began April 2021 (with an 8-month timeline)  Address: 120 High Street  The nave will be “transformed into a museum-quality gallery” to showcase items from Yale’s large special collections. The gallery will support the expansion of Yale Library’s student-curated exhibit program. Learn more.
Humanities Quadrangle (HQ)	Completed: February 2021 Address: 320 York Street Formerly the Hall of Graduate Studies, this building will forge new connections across Yale’s humanities departments and programs. The renovation increased the size of the building by about 13,000 square feet, all underground! Learn more.
Schwarzman Center	Completed: February 2021 Address: 168 Grove Street This major project renovated two buildings: University Commons and Memorial Hall, originally built in 1901-02. The center will support cultural programming and student life with its multi-purpose spaces, food service, cafe, and pub! Learn more.
Hewitt Quadrangle	Completed: September 2020 Address: Beinecke Plaza The memorial cenotaph and flagstaff were restored as part of the Schwarzman Center renovation. The cenotaph honors students and alumni killed in World War 1. The flagstaff honors Yale alum Lt. Ledyard who died during the Philippine-American War. Learn more.
Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale (Tsai CITY)	Completed: August 2020 Address: 17 Prospect Street  This new building will serve as a crossroads for entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders from across Yale’s campus. Learn more.  Virtual Tour | Time Lapse Video
Yale Science Building	Completed: October 2019  Address: 260 Whitney Avenue  The seven-floor, 280,000 square feet building “has been hailed as the boldest development yet in Yale’s ambitious effort to further scientific research addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems.” Learn more.

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New job, new state, and a global pandemic

What is it like wehn your first day of work at a new job, in a new state, is also the first day of a global pandemic? One of Yale Conferences & Events’ newest members, Adam Cairns, gives us his first-hand experience. 

Adam recalls, “My first day was supposed to be March 16th. The idea was far for me to come to the office and get all my HR paperwork done; we had everything outlines for that day. The night before, the email came out that everything was closing, and we were not to report to the office.” He remembers that, since he was also in the middle of a move from Massachusetts, his first full, virtual work day was spent in a makeshift office in the only part of the house that he could find, surrounded by boxes. 

                                                          

Not only was Adam’s work environment completely shifted from the norm but so was his expectation of his role within our department. He talks about how, even though his background was focused in using StarRez for student-based housing operations, his role at YC&E was intended to be focused on learning how to manage StarRez through a new conferences and events lens and even help with our event registration systems. He recalls, “The reality is, once we turned into an Emergency Housing office, learning all of that was put on the back-burner and we strictly went towards building these systems for Emergency Responder Housing, Isolation Housing, and then Fall move in.” Adam became just the resource we needed in a time where our department was entering uncharted territory. He was able to work closely with Justin Thornton and Nathan Lubich, from our Operations team, on something he was already comfortable with to create a centralized housing operations system, something our team didn’t think we would be able to work on for years. 

“It is super serendipitous that we came together at the exact time that we did. By shifting to that side of things, I’ve been able to pull from my strengths and my background and that has helped a lot with this transition. I don’t feel as lost or removed as I might’ve if we were events focused right from the start,” Adam notes. He talks about how his involvement in this housing project made it so that he was more active on conference calls and got to interact with his tema much more than he thought he might in the very beginning.

But what about office culture and building relationships with your new co-workers? Adam notes that while he does feel like he might’ve been able to be productive without the distractions that come with working in a busy office, he has a hard time feeling fully part of the team. He says he can’t believe he has been with YC&E for a year because he still feels so new. There are members of the team that Adam has only shared a socially distant, “Hello”, with during student move in this past summer. 

When asked, “What do you think the transition of coming back into the office will be like for you?”, he responds, “It almost feels like online dating. It’s like someone that you are going to meet for the first time and you only know a little bit about them. It’s this weird feeling of wondering if it’s going to be awkward because I know you, but I don’t really know you.” 

Adam goes on to say that he is excited to get into the office, learn the office culture, and get to know his co-workers on a deeper level. He mentions that he feels like he has been missing that “part of the team piece”, showing us that nothing can truly replace being able to collaborate with your co-workers in person. “It definitely feels like I have been online dating YC&E for a year and now we are going to meet,” he adds. YC&E was so lucky to add Adam to our team when we did, and we are excited to take our relationship past the online dating phase once we can get back in our offices!  

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Westville Music Bowl: Premier outdoor concert venue for the social distancing era and beyond 

Who’s ready for LIVE concerts again? Cue the new Westville Music Bowl, which is set to kick off an incredible outdoor concert series tomorrow (April 30th)! This concert series will host some of the biggesst acts from the jam scene (and beyond) for socially distanced shows this season. 

Formerly the Connecticut Tennis Center, Westville Music Bowl has been “re-outfitted as the region’s premier outdoor concert venue for the social distancing era and beyond.” 

To keep guests and staff safe, Westville Music Bowl will be following all state guidelines for large gatherings, including conducting short questionnaires and temperature checks prior to entering the venue. Staff will wear masks at all times and on-site security will enforce social distancing in the stands, which are separated into “pods”. 

No live concert is complete without food and drinks! Westville Music Bowl has this covered too, offering a wide variety of food and beverages, including a full bar, as well as options for all common dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and child-friendly choices. 

So, what are you waiting for? Check out this seaoson’s line-up and grab your tickets! Westville Music Bowl is located at 45 Yale Avenue in New Haven, CT across from Yale Bowl. 

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